By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, August 15 -- How far down the UN food chain Darfur has fallen was shown against on Wednesday, when after Security Council president Gerard Araud of France read out a Press Statement on the killing of a UNAMID peacekeeper, the first five questions taken were all about Syria.
Ultimately Inner City Press asked Araud about the UN Peacekeepers inability to protect civilians in the Kassab camp and the Kutub town, about the shooting of students in Nyala on July 31, and the departure of envoy Ibrahim Gambari, which the UN belated confirmed 24 hours after Inner City Press reported and asked about it.
Araud began by saying he's not sure the deterioration is linked to Gambari's departure, which had not been Inner City Press' point. He went out to describe a split in the Security Council, between those who think things are going well in Darfur, except that the government does not have money to pay for a political process, and those who think there are human rights problems.
Then Araud turned back to Syria, saying that on that topic too the Council is divided, and on Israel and Palestine.
But look at the difference in focus and attention, between replacing Gambari and replacing Kofi Annan. The US is putting in some energy on Sudan, but almost entirely in support of its ally South Sudan, as we can report more on soon.
25,000 people were just forced out of the Kassab camp, right under the noses of a $1 billion UN peacekeeping mission, and nothing is said. This is how far Darfur has fallen and been used. Watch this site.
